#17: The Breadwinner

A very emotional movie that is, just like it's predecessors, slightly undercut by its third act.

Cartoon Saloon is improving.

Both Secret of Kells and Song of the Sea had promising starts that were undercut by severely boring, slogging third acts that - at least in the case of Song, the final act couldn't redeem the picture as a whole.



This last act does leave a bit to be desired - it concludes a story in what is supposed to be a shocking twist regarding an unseen character that comes off as a poor attempt to tie it together - but it is a lot better than bringing the movie to a total standstill.

This feels like a movie in three parts instead of four, so much time is spent setting up and having Parvana adapt to her new role that the climax feels very crowded, somewhat rushed - and yet, not any less engaging.

While watching, I was internally struggling with myself, and for a good chunk of time, I was ready to hand this movie the Best Animated Feature Oscar, but it's really just that pacing near the end.

Coco takes a while to get going, but that's near the beginning, not in the climax.

I appreciate Parvana's hesitancy before growing into her courage to buck the rules and support her family. Many movie heroines are plucky and fiery right out of the gate, but she has a very strong streak of determination that helps her push past tradition to do what must be done.

There are various art styles and they all look nice and make the world seem alive. The bits where she tells the story about her brother would make a lovely picture book or short film.